In the context of the Bible, "threatenings" refer to expressions of intent to inflict harm or punishment, often used as a means of warning or as a call to repentance. The concept of threatenings is found throughout both the Old and New Testaments, where it is often associated with divine warnings or the actions of individuals who oppose God's people.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, threatenings are frequently associated with God's warnings to His people, urging them to turn from their sinful ways and return to Him. The prophets often conveyed these divine warnings. For example, in the book of Jeremiah, God warns the people of Judah through the prophet: "I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands" (Jeremiah 1:16). Here, the threatenings serve as a call to repentance and a reminder of the consequences of disobedience.

The Psalms also reflect the theme of threatenings, particularly in the context of the righteous seeking deliverance from their enemies. In Psalm 7:6, the psalmist pleads, "Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment" . This plea highlights the psalmist's reliance on God to respond to the threats posed by adversaries.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, threatenings are often seen in the context of opposition to the early Christian church. The apostles faced threats from religious authorities who sought to suppress the spread of the Gospel. In Acts 4:17, the Sanhedrin, concerned about the growing influence of the apostles, decided: "But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no more in this name" . Despite these threats, the apostles continued to preach boldly, trusting in God's protection and guidance.

The apostle Paul also encountered threatenings during his ministry. In Acts 9:1, before his conversion, Saul (later Paul) is described as "still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" . This highlights the intensity of the opposition faced by early Christians and the transformative power of Christ in changing hearts.

Divine Threatenings and Judgment

Throughout Scripture, divine threatenings serve as a means of calling people to repentance and warning them of impending judgment. In the book of Revelation, the theme of divine threatenings is prominent as God reveals the consequences of sin and the ultimate victory of righteousness. Revelation 2:16 warns the church in Pergamum: "Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth" . This serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance.

Conclusion

The concept of threatenings in the Bible underscores the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance. Whether through divine warnings or the opposition faced by God's people, threatenings serve as a call to faithfulness and trust in God's ultimate justice and deliverance.

Promises and Threatenings
... THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS PROMISES AND THREATENINGS. ... The sternest threatenings of
Scripture are spoken that they may never need to be executed. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/promises and threatenings.htm

The Scope and Purpose of the Law's Threatenings; "Perfect ...
... A Treatise on nature and grace, against pelagius; Chapter 13 [XII.]"The Scope
and Purpose of the Law's Threatenings; "Perfect Wayfarers.". ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 13 xii the scope and.htm

"Hear the Word of the Lord, Ye Rulers of Sodom, Give Ear unto the ...
... It is strange to think what mercy is mixed with the most wrath like strokes
and threatenings. There is no prophet whose office and ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon viii hear the word.htm

A Dialogue with God
... Looked at from such a point of view the words of our text bring before us God's
merciful threatenings and man's incredulous rejection of them. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/a dialogue with god 2.htm

The Scriptures.
... To him that believes the Scriptures aright, the promises or threatenings are of
more power to comfort or cast down, than all the promises or threatenings of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/iii the scriptures.htm

A Dialogue with God
... In previous sermons we have considered God's indictment of man's sin met by man's
plea of 'not guilty,' and God's threatenings brushed aside by man's question. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/a dialogue with god 3.htm

The Foundation of God
... answer to something. And that something is the scornful defiance by the
rulers of Israel of the prophet's threatenings. By their ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the foundation of god.htm

For I Will Now Return, after a Sort of Digression, to the Point I ...
... have nothing to do with the study of secular literature, he gives an account of
a revelation divinely made to him and filled with fearful threatenings upon the ...
/.../6 for i will now.htm

Celsus, in Adopting the Character of a Jew, could not Discover any ...
... numerous curses recorded in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, we should make
as good, or better, a defence of the revilings and threatenings which are ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxvi celsus in adopting.htm

The Rediscovered Law and Its Effects
... One can easily picture the scene while the reader's voice went steadily through
the commandments, threatenings, and promises,"the deepening eagerness of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the rediscovered law and its.htm

Threatenings (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Threatenings (2 Occurrences). Acts 4:29 And now,
Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants ...
/t/threatenings.htm - 7k

Threatening (7 Occurrences)
... Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest, (Root in KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT). ...
/t/threatening.htm - 8k

Threats (14 Occurrences)

/t/threats.htm - 10k

Neck (97 Occurrences)
...Threatenings of coming judgments are represented by the prophets by their laying
bands upon the people's necks (Deuteronomy 28:48; Isaiah 10:27; Jeremiah 27:2 ...
/n/neck.htm - 45k

Gospel (108 Occurrences)
... but the teaching men how to avail themselves of the offer of salvation, the declaring
of all the truths, precepts, promises, and threatenings of Christianity ...
/g/gospel.htm - 101k

Freedom (45 Occurrences)
... (DBY YLT). Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant
to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word, (YLT). ...
/f/freedom.htm - 21k

Sanctification (13 Occurrences)
... 2) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to
yield obedience "to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing ...
/s/sanctification.htm - 45k

Bondmen (117 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and give
to thy bondmen with all boldness to speak thy word, (DBY). ...
/b/bondmen.htm - 35k

Elijah (104 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 16:34 mentions as another instance of the little weight attached in Ahab's
time to ancient prophetic threatenings, the rebuilding by Hiel the Bethelite ...
/e/elijah.htm - 71k

Hosea (6 Occurrences)
... The second part, containing 4-14, is a summary of Hosea's discourses, filled with
denunciations, threatenings, exhortations, promises, and revelations of mercy ...
/h/hosea.htm - 43k

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